Our Friend: Romance
by Behind These Eyes
Summary: Draco is alone. His father is dead and his mother is isane. He lost the only girl he ever loved and now he has to live in a world that hates him. But perhaps, there is somtehing left for him to live for.
1. Forlorn

**Our Friend: Romance**

Dedicated to Willow, because you wanted me to write a long one.

**Disclaimer**: The Harry Potter characters do not belong to me. Yada yada yada. You know the drill. Just don't sue me.

**Author's Notes:** 'Kay, I'm writing a multiple chapter Hermione/Draco fic. Why? Because I feel like it! Sheesh. Plus, a special someone asked me to do it for him. So deal with it! 'Kay, this is based loosely upon a RPG that Willow and I did.

**Pairing: **Hermione/Draco

**Time and Place:** After the war with Voldemort, Draco lives alone in the ruins of his family's mansion. Hermione, having lost everyone she loved, stays idly in St. Mungo's hospital.

* * *

Hermione sat by the lake. A Willow tree gave her shade as she did her last minute potions homework. Snape had cracked down in the seventh year. Even a bookworm like Hermione couldn't handle it. And with N.E.W.T.S to pass she just couldn't afford to skin this information.

"Granger?" A cold voice called through the silent serenity of the lake-side. Hermione looked up. Her eyes fell upon the face she loved; Draco Malfoy; the only boy who had stolen her heart

"Malfoy," She said in response. Her voice was light and airy. He smiled as he neared the tree.

"Good to see the bookworm can't handle the homework," He said playfully. She smiled and stood up.

"It's not that I can't. I can; I would just prefer not to." She laughed, wrapping her arms around his waist.

"No great loss. One as beautiful as you need not do their homework." He said, running his hands through his fizzy brown hair.

Hermione laughed. Draco; lord did he know how to make her smile. All he had to do was flash her one of those cold smirks and she'd go weak at the knees.

Draco kissed her cheek. Hermione; Oh was she breathtaking. Those chocolate brown eyes made his heart skip a beat.

* * *

That was seven years ago.

Now, Draco was alone. His father was dead. His mother was crazy. He didn't have much to live for now. Hermione; he didn't even know if she was still alive. Lord, did he miss her. Why had he let her go?

He remembered, but he was ashamed of that. She'd gone to help save Potter. He was playing super-hero trying to save the world. Draco remembered his last words to her.

"_Hermione, you can't go! I don't want to lose you." Draco said, tears streaking his face. She ran her hand down his cheek lovingly._

"_Draco, I'm sorry. But Harry is my best friend. I have to help him." _

Then she'd left. She'd left him there; she'd left him alone. And now what did he have? A mansion in ruins; a mother in St. Mungo's; and no Hermione; he was but a shell of a life.

'Hermione, where are you?' Draco thought, his eyes pleading with the ceiling of his mansion to bring her back. He closed his eyes, taking himself away from the crumbling walls of his abode.

He could see her; smell her; he could feel her beside him. In this vague dream he could be with her as long as he liked.

He opened his eyes. Bright rays of sunlight streamed through the cracked windows. The curtains had fallen to the ground long ago, and without any help around the house, he'd let it stay there. His father had been to blame for the rubble he called a home. He'd gone and messed up; he'd shown the world that he'd been, and was, a faithful Deatheater. The Ministry of Magic had stormed the mansion the very moment Lucius had uttered the words.

"Filth," He spat as he walked out of the mansion. He was on his way to visit his mother. She'd lost it when Lucius had been killed, and now she was in St. Mungo's; the only place in the Wizarding World that was worse than death. But he knew she'd die soon. Everyone in St. Mungo's did.

* * *

Draco wore a long black cloak and a hat that covered the majority of his face. He was a disgrace nowadays. He didn't dare show his face in the streets of London for people talked. Even the muggles did. He wasn't safe from the ridicule anywhere. 

His feet carried him swiftly. He stared at the street to refrain from making eye contact. St. Mungo's was close now. Soon, he'd be able to talk to his mother, the only person left in this meaningless life.

"Yes, Mr. Malfoy, go right up." The nurse said, she was polite enough, but he knew it was only a mask. She was as shallow as the rest. Draco nodded, and headed towards the elevator. Whispers filled the air. Even the man with hands growing from his bottom whispered.

It seemed like centuries before he was out of the elevator and in the dimly lit hallway.

"Ronald! I couldn't care less!"

"But Hermione."

Hermione and Ronald; Granger and Weasley; were they both here? He walked down the hallway and looked into the open door.

"Ron, I don't want to deal with you!" Draco's heart almost stopped. Bushy brown hair; bossy voice; it was her!

"Hermione?" Draco said disbelievingly. The brown haired maiden turned.

"Draco?"

* * *

**Author's Notes: **Ha, I win! Ha again, I say! Yes, it will be a multiple chapter story; but I give you a cliffhanger! Willow, I totally win!

Anyway, I'd love anyone who left a review!


	2. Discovery

**Chapter Two: Discovery**

**Author's Notes: **Yeah, well, I couldn't bare the thought of making you all wait for the next one, so I hurried up and wrote it! And I'll do it at whatever flippin' pace I feel like! God! (I love Napoleon Dynamite)

**Disclaimer:** See previous chappie!

* * *

Draco's mouth hung open. Hermione looked just as surprised as Draco felt. Hermione rushed forward, but Draco met her halfway. Her arms swung around his neck just as his wrapped around her waist.

"Draco." She whispered, barely audible, yet he heard her. He could hear her; he could smell her; he could feel her; and he wasn't dreaming.

"Malfoy," Ron spat, his flaming red hair accented by hot-pink ears, "What are you doing here? Have you come to turn yourself in? Or does your mother need someone to remind her of poor old Lucius-poo."

Draco let Hermione go, his hands balled up into fists.

"Ronald!" Hermione shouted. She'd had it with him; she hated him. "Damn it! Just leave!" Ron looked shocked. Draco stepped aside, letting Ron exit the room without obstruction.

"Draco. I'm sorry; Ron is a bit of a peeve lately. Since he lost Harry he's been a bit obnoxious. He keeps saying he loves me, but I saved my heart for one in particular." Hermione smiled and ran her fingers down his cheek.

Draco heaved a sigh. Hermione looked at him with sad, vacant brown eyes. Oh, how he'd missed her, but why? Why was she here? This was the only place worse than death.

"Draco, what's wrong?" She questioned, reaching up to push a strand of his blond hair away from his pale face.

"Hermione," He paused, contemplating what to say, "Hermione, I'm sorry."

'Great Draco, you can't even form a real sentence!' His mind criticized him. Hermione furrowed her brows.

"Why are you sorry?" She asked. Great, he'd said something stupid and didn't have a reason why. Draco thought, but there was only one reason.

"Hermione, I shouldn't have let you go. You put yourself in danger and I wasn't there to help you." Draco stammered.

'Smooth.' His mind retorted.

Hermione sighed, "Draco, I wouldn't have let you stop me anymore, you know that."

Yeah, he knew that. She was a determined girl and there was nothing he could do to stop her.

"Come on; let's get you out of here." Draco said, taking her hand, "You can stay with me."

Hermione shook her head. "Draco, I can't leave. I don't think they'll let me; the doctors I mean. I could be dangerous. This is where I belong now. If I wasn't I might be running through the streets accusing people of being Voldemort and blowing their brains out."

Draco laughed. Hermione; Hermione Granger; blowing the brains out of the innocent passerby in Diagon Alley; the thought of the bushy-haired book work was amusing.

"Hermione, love, you know you don't belong you. There are things, other than medicine, that can fix a broken heart." Draco said, caressing her cheek with his fingers.

* * *

Seven Years Previously

"Malfoy, just move, we don't have time for this today." Hermione said as she shoved her way past Draco Malfoy; heart-throb of the century.

"Why should I? Oh, yes, we wouldn't want Miss Perfect Grades Granger to be late for class." Draco said as he smirked, blocking her way once again.

"Move Malfoy or I'll turn you into a ferret." Hermione threatened. Draco winced; everyone referenced the incident in their fourth year.

"I'll take my chances. Being around you is worth being a ferret." Draco stopped dead; even his breathing halted. Had he just told Hermione that? Hermione narrowed her eyes and tried once again to push her way past Draco, only to fail.

"Malfoy, stop messing with me and move."

"Who said I was messing with you?" Draco said nonchalantly. She doubled over in laughter.

"Please. Mr. Pureblood Malfoy. Yeah right!" Hermione gasped between spasms of laughter. He reached out and cupped her chin in his hand, Hermione quickly pulled away.

"I'm serious … Hermione." He said, using her first name. She stopped laughing; this time around it was shock that occupied her face. A bell rang through the hallways. Now they were both late.

"Great, I'm late and all because you have obviously flushed your brain down the loo several times." Hermione spat. Draco touched her cheek, she flinched at his touch.

"Hermione, I'm serious." Draco said, meeting Hermione's brown eyes with his cold ones. Hermione felt faint. Lord did he look beautiful.

* * *

**Author's Notes:** So ends 'Discovery' the second chapter to Our Friend: Romance. I left it at a cliffhanger in both time periods. Although, it's pretty obvious what happens after the flashback. And Willow, you won because I posted a second chapter pretty quickly.

Anyway, you know the drill. Leave me reviews and I'll write more.

* * *

_**From Author to You, the Reviewer: **_

**AHelplessPyro911:** Jess, thanks for the ideas (and the other random reviews on stories I know you've already read). Just remember, Flash Backs are your friend! I ended up doing a peice of that in this Chapter. So deal with it.Anywho, Ninny appreciates the review, you should publish Harry Potter fics before I shoot you! As for the "Jess-ay the Esay", you just wish you had my mad English slaughtering skills.

**Amandasue06: **Thanks, I tried to get this chapter up as soon as I could.

**JessicaMcConacil:** Dear, if I spelled the name wrong I'm sorry. Thanks for the reviews on my other stories and I'll try to return the favor to you (and everyone with a published story that has left me a review) as soon as I can.

**EbonyAmandabrittney44: **Hooray for using the word love in reference to one of my fics! That makes me happy!

**MiSs JoVaNNa: **Thank you so much. Like I said before, I tried to get this chapter up as soon as I could.

**Those who did not submit a signed review:** Thank you for the reviews. But I didn't want to go through each one separately and give a comment to each of you. So, in summary, thank you all so much for the reviews, and another thank you again. Especially Dragon, you were the only one to complain about the cliffhanger.


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